Muffler.



No. 728,105. PATBNTBD MAY 12', 1903'. P. E. yHIPPLE L H. T. RATGLIFPB. MUFPLER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1902.

u No. 728,105.

UNITED STATES :Patented May 112, 1903.

PATENT FFICE.

FRANK E. HIPPLE AND HENRY T. RATCLIFFE, OF HUTCHINSON, KANSAS.

MUFFLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent; N0. 728,105, .dated lviiay 12, 1903.

Application filed September 20, 1902. SerialNo. 124,226. (No modela To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK E. HIPPLE and HENRY T. RATCLIFFE, citizens of the United States, residing at Hutchinson, in the county of Reno and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Muffler, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved form of muffler for subduing the noise incident to the escape of fluid under pressure from an engine, and while it may be employed in connection with engines operated by steam or other fluid under pressure it is designed more particularly for use in connection with explosive-engines.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and economical form of muffler in which there will be but little back pressure to retard the escape of the exploded charge from the cylinder, this being particularly desirable in connection with two-cycle engines where the exploded charge is expelled bythe incoming charge of explosive mixture.

With these and other objects in vieu7 the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the ap* pended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a m ufller constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Similar numerals of'reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The casing 5 of the muffler is preferably cylindrical in form and may be placed in any position,v either vertically or horizontally, or at an incline, or the casing may be coiled in the form of a worm or spiral, if desired. Within the casing is a rod 6, which may be held in place by one or more transverselydisposed cross-bars 7, having their ends secured to the casing. The rod 6 carries a large number of disks, fifteen of such disks being employed in the present instance and designated by-reference characters 8, 9, 10, 1l, 12, 13, 14, 15, 1li, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22, all securely fastened to the rod and arranged equi distantly thereon. The disks, starting from the small disk 8, are of gradually-increasing diameter up to the disk"` bearing reference character 127 the periphery of which is preferably about one-eighth of an inch from the inner wall of the cylinder, although this distance is, of course, dependent on the size of the engine to which the.4 muffler is connected. The disk 13 is of the same diameter as the disk 12, and from thence the disks are of successively-smaller diameterup to the disk 17, the latter being ,of Vthe same diameter as the disk-B. From the disk '17 the diameter of the disks gradually increases up to the disks 21 and 22, which are of the same diameter as the disks -12 and 13'.

The exploded charge or other lluid under pressure is admitted to the casing and comes in contact withTA the smallest disk 8.` As the volume'of gas will generally be sufficient to wholly occupy the cross-,sectional area of the casing, successive disks of gradually-increasing 'diameter will receive the impact practically simultaneously, vand from each disk the volume of gas will b'e directed outwardly against the Wall of the casing, there to meet and intermingle with corresponding volumes of gas directed outwardly by the remaining disks. In this manner the initial force of the gas is gradually checked, the stream of gas entering the casing being subdivided and acted upon in such manner by the successive disks'that after passingv the'disk 13 the stream will be comparatively steady and uniform, and the gradually-lesseningdiameters of the disks afford an opportunity for expansion, the gas after passing the largest disk 13 rushing inwardly under the disk 15 and thence being directed outwardly against the Wall of the casing, and in similar manner portions of the current will be diverted under the successive disks, while gradually increasing quantitiesv of the gas are permitted to pass freely through the space afforded by the gradually-lessening diameters of the disks. After passing the disk 17 the action of the upper disks from 18 to 22 is much the same as that IOO of'the ccrresponding lower s'et of disks, although at this point the'speed of the stream is materially reduced. The interior of the casing will, in effect, become illed with gas, and to overcomenthe inertia of this body of gas the successive exhausts must yield up a portion of their pressures. The casing 5 receives atone end the exploded gases at regular intervals, and as these successive exhausts are gradually broken up and their pressures reduced the upper portion of the casipg becomes filled with gas, which escapes in a steady uniform stream through the annular space between the upper disk 22 and the inner Wall'of the casing, the discharge being continuous and noiseless.

Having thus described our invention, what we elaimis- 1. In amuftler, the combination with a casing, of a plurality of spaced disks of different diameter, all of said disks being spaced from the casing toform a free unobstructed passage from end tc end of the casing between the inner Wall and the edges of the disks, the area of said passage varying with the difference in diameter of the disks, and means for supporting said disks.

2. In a muftier, the combination with a casing, of a plurality of spaced disks, all separated from the casing to form a free unobstructed passage from end to end of the casing between theinner Wall and the edges of the disks, the area of said passage varying with the dierence in diameter of the disks, and means for supporting said disks.

3. In a muffler, the combination with a casL ing, of a plurality of spaced disks of different diameter, said disks being spaced from the casingand disposed in the order of their respective diameters to offer first gradually-increasing surface areas for contact with the exhaust, thence grad ually-decreasing surface areas, and finally gradually-increasing surface areas for contact with the exhajust.

4c. Ina muffler, the combination with a casing, of a plurality of disks of different diameters and arranged first in a group or series of gradually-increasing diameter thence followed by a group or series of gradually-decreasing diameter and a third group or series of gradually-increasing diameter, all of the disks being spaced from the casing.

5. In a murder, theY combination with the cylindrical casing '5, of a centrally-disposed rod, a plurality of disks secured to said rod at equidistant intervals and adapted t0 im-Y pede and check the exhaust, one of the disks of smallest diameter being disposed near the inlet end of the casing and one of the disksv of largest diameter being disposed near the outlet end of said casing.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own We have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

FRANK E. HIPPLE. HENRY T. RATCLIFFE.

Witnesses:

L. N. JEFES, L. B. YOUNG. 

